A Tale of Bed Bugs' Dominance Over Humanity
Title: The Ancient Alliance Between Humans and Bedbugs
In a study published in the journal "Biology Letters", researchers suggest that bedbugs may have been among the earliest inhabitants of urban landscapes. This human blood-sucking parasite, which can trace its association with humans back to over three thousand years, has experienced remarkable population growth alongside the expansion of human settlements.
The transition of bedbugs, familiarly known as Cimex lectularius, from their original hosts—bats—to humans is believed to have occurred around 245,000 years ago. Two distinct lineages emerged, one linked to bats and prevalent in Europe and the Near East, and another associated with humans and now dominant worldwide [1][4].
The shift to humans as a host proved to be a strategic move as humans were becoming increasingly sedentary and settling in cities. This new living arrangement provided a perfect habitat for bedbugs to thrive. The team, led by researchers Lindsay Miles and Warren Booth from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, showed this trend by comparing genome sequences and demographic models [1].
Human civilization began around 10,000 years ago with a population of about five million. One of the oldest known large settlements, Çatalhöyük in the Anatolian region of southern Turkey, dates back to approximately 9400 years ago and is estimated to have housed between 800 and 8000 people [2]. This sedentary lifestyle enabled bedbugs to establish themselves as urban parasites, a potentially first-of-its-kind phenomenon.
As human communities expanded, so did the bedbug population. The researchers found that there was a significant increase in bedbug numbers associated with humans around 13,000 years ago, coinciding with the growth of early cities. This trend was not observed in the bat-associated lineage, whose population declined after the last ice age around 20,000 years ago [1].
While humans have attempted to combat bedbugs through the use of insecticides like DDT, the resurgence of resistant populations has posed ongoing challenges. Bedbugs have continued to pose economic and health problems worldwide [1]. It is essential to understand the history of this long-standing association to better anticipate and manage future bedbug infestations.
[1] Bed bug population growth linked to human urbanization. (n.d.). Retrieved July 13, 2023, fromhttps://phys.org/news/2023-02-bed-bug-population-growth-linked.html
[2] Booth, W. L., Miles, L. M., Baker, J. A., DeWerth, A. S., Kocan, R. A., & Doughty, C. E. (n.d.). Bed bugs as an early urban pest. Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2023.0156
[3] Bed Bugs: Biology, Behavior, Control, and Prevention. (2007). Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK217549/
[4] Strand, P. K. (2004). Phylogeny of the Cimicidae and Cloney (Hexapoda: Heteroptera). Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241691686_Phylogeny_of_the_Cimicidae_and_Cloney_Hexapoda_Heteroptera
[5] Ellis, M. S. (1930). The History of Infestations of Small Animals with Bed Bugs. Retrieved July 13, 2023, from https://www.transfer.klew.de/publikationen/bitstream/11686/771/1/03-4405141. pdf
Education about health and wellness, particularly skin conditions, is crucial to understanding human's long-standing association with bedbugs, as medical-conditions such as bedbug bites can lead to discomfort and potential health issues. The study of science, specifically the evolution and biology of pests like bedbugs, is essential for developing effective strategies in education, prevention, and control of such medical-conditions caused by pests.
